The "Kadaugan," victory in Cebuano, is a tribute to the outstanding courage and unity of the people of Mactan who fought and successfully resisted Spanish attempt to colonize the island almost five centuries ago.
The annual celebration started in 1979, when then Customs Collector and concurrent Regional Director of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development David "Boy" Odilao first spearheaded a live reenactment of Lapu-Lapu's victory at the Battle of Mactan at the Mactan Shrine, also the venue of today’s Kadaugan festivities.
At that time, the celebration known as Bahug-Bahug sa Mactan, was a one-day event only. Since the 1980s, however, the event has been known as Kadaugan sa Mactan, and instead of only one day, the festivities run a full week.
The celebration features a daily food festival, drum and bugle corps competitions, street dancing parade, nightly live band shows, wood carving contest, cross channel swimming competitions and baroto (banca) race, painting exhibits, oratorical contests, beauty pageants, fireworks display, mini agri-fair, jobs fair and mobile pass-porting (through the help of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the National Statistics Office).
This year, the Battle of Mactan reenactment was participated in by actors Alfred Vargas as Lapu-Lapu, and Ramon Christopher as Magellan.
Joining the President during the ceremonies were Portuguese Ambassador to the Philippines Jao Cayetano da Silva, Cebu Representative Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza, his wife Mactan Barangay Chairman Paz Radaza, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, and Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano
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